Alexander, Sr. Cleveland

General Notes

[basham.ged]Genealogy Of The Cleveland Family By E J Cleveland; P 2054Alexander CLEVELAND, the ancestor of the Clevelands of Virginia origin, w as born, evidently in England, probably prior to 1620, and may have remain ed in England, but it is generally believed by his descendants that he ca me to America, and settled in or near Price William County, Virginia; the re is no record of his death, nor of his marriage; the name of his wi fe in unknown. Had at least one child: Alexander CLEVELAND, b. probably a bout the year 1659, either in England or, perhaps, in Virginia. Alexand er CLEVELAND lived in England, locality not discovered.Concerning him no authentic record is found, and it is not definitely asc ertained which of the two was the immigrant ancestor from England ., he or his son Alexander; or whether they both came in company. The ear ly shipping lists or lists of emigrants to American ports do not mention t he names of any Clevelands. It may prove that he was the Mr. Clevela nd of Loughboro, County Leicester, England, stated to have accompanied, pr ior to 1629, the Skipworths of Cotes, and Henry Herrick, 5th son of Sir Wi lliam herrick of Beau manor Park, Loughboro parish, from England to Virgin ia, as already narrated in this genealogy. If this was Alexander Clevelan d, he evidently remained in Virginia while Henry Herrick journeyed to Sale m, Mass., and was later a founder of the first church in Salem 1629.There are Clevelands in Virginia from old times. So closely do the Southe rn Cleveland in feature resemble the new England Clevelands that they ha ve been mistaken to be near relatives of each other, and it is not unreaso nable to conjecture that Moses Cleveland and Alexander Cleveland were brot hers, or of at least near kinship. Oliver Cleveland of Spring Valley, Albe marle Co., Va., in a letter to Hon Jesse Franklin Cleveland, May 10, 183 9, said: "My father and grandfather were both named Alexander Clevelan d. May grandfather lived to be 111 years old, and my grandmother to be 1 03 years old. My grandfather was an Englishman by birth." The descendan ts of Alexander Cleveland have taken a most important part in the histo ry of our Great Republic. "Genealogy of the Cleveland and Cleaveland Famil ies" by Edmund Janes Cleveland and Horace Gillette Cleveland; 1899 pages 2 054-2055